The GOSPEL TRUTH
LETTER OF

CHARLES G. FINNEY

1849

To Helen Cochran Cox and Charles Grandison Finney Jr.
4 and 13 December 1849

 

[Ms in the Henry Cowles Papers, RG 30/27, Oberlin College Archives.]

 

Helen Cox wrote out these extracts for Henry Cowles to use in his report on "Prof. Finney in

England" in The Oberlin Evangelist, 16 January 1850, page 15. The original letter was written to Helen Cox and C. G. Finney Jr. (see Finney's letter to S. Evans, 11 December 1849 in John Rylands University Library of Manchester).

 

Extracts from Prof: Finney's last letter home.

 

Houghton Decr 4th

"The work of the Lord has become more & more

deep & powerful here every day - People come from a

distance sometimes of forty miles to attend our meetings -

The work is still, deep, & terribly searching. It seems

to be breaking up the fountains of the great deep in the

hearts of both saints & sinners. It has become exceed-

ingly difficult to leave here; the interest has become so

great & general; but I am under an engagement to go

to Birmingham and must leave the work in the hands

of the Lord. The state of things in England

is very much as it was in our own country when I began

to preach. This Revival takes on the same type as

those which occurred under my labors 20 years since.

The Lord seems to have a wide door here. Whether

my help health will allow me to labor long at this rate I

know not. Will you request the praying people

there to pray for England & for us. We have labored here

about three weeks. Your mother's hands as well as my

own are full of labors & God is greatly bel blessing her efforts.

She holds meetings with the women & is doing great good

under God. Ninety persons came, in the rain

last Friday evening from the a village seven miles distant.

Several of the principal persons in that village have been

hopefully converted in our meetings.

I have been to London twice & have preached twice each time. They want me to go there

[page 2]

& labor but I must first go to Birmingham as it seems

to me.

Dec 13th Birmingham.

I have preached here one Sabbath & three evenings

this week. Congregations solemn, but I have as yet

applied no test to ascertain the state of feeling."

Footnote:

This was 1849.